


Words are Important to Hobbits

by TheAdventures_of_Me



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-14
Updated: 2013-05-14
Packaged: 2017-12-11 20:54:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/803178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAdventures_of_Me/pseuds/TheAdventures_of_Me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the goblin caves, Bilbo eagerly rejoins the company only to find that they can't see him. Unsure of why he's invisible to them, Bilbo decides to follow the dwarves on the rest of their quest, only to find that they are quite vocal about what they think of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Words are Important to Hobbits

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever completed fic (because usually I never finish them), and I must say that I think I did a rather good job. Please enjoy!

As he watched, the storm giant’s stony knee crashed into the side of the mountain. Thorin yelled, as if he could command his companions to be alive. Half his company had been caught between the mountainside and the stone leg of the giant. They would be crushed. Thorin surged forwards, consumed with fear for his companions. Beside him, he barely heard Fili screaming for his brother. Bilbo had been among those who were separated, and Thorin felt coldness slither down his spine. Hobbits were so much softer than dwarves, so much more breakable. The run around the corner seemed to take years of his life. When Thorin finally rounded the turn and saw the dwarves in a heap, disgruntled but most definitely alive, he sighed in relief. His relief was short lived, however, when he noticed that there was no hobbit amongst the dwarves. Blind panic threatened to overwhelm him when he heard the others shouting and turned to see them leaning over the cliff side.

****

The storm giants were terrifying, and Bilbo felt his fear double when the mountain they were standing on began to move. He shouted out in surprise and scuttled back from the ledge. _They were on its knees!_ Bilbo looked across the growing chasm and saw the other half of the company scrambling to jump onto a cliff ledge. He sighed in relief when every dwarf made the jump. Beside him he heard Kili whimper, and he snapped his head around to see what Kili was looking at. Bilbo couldn’t swallow a whimper of his own when he saw what the dwarf was seeing. Their giant was falling, and they were speeding towards a very solid cliff face.

Someone yelled to jump, and though Bilbo didn’t see how that would help, he didn’t need to be told twice. He and the others jumped, the dwarves flying farther than he himself could manage. With a sickening feeling in his gut, Bilbo realized that he would not make the jump. He reached out desperately and his fingers gripped the ledge as the rest of his body was slammed into the rock. His breath rushed out, and the giant’s knee connected with the edge of the cliff, just missing the hobbit.

Bilbo heard a muffled yell, and he hoped the others were alright. He heard the others shouting for him, and he struggled to pull in enough air to answer them. He couldn’t. He was winded, and panicking. Bilbo felt his grip slackening, and he started trying to climb, but his feet could find no purchase on the slick rock. Bofur poked his head over the edge, and his eyes widened when he saw Bilbo hanging there. Before he could reach out to help him, Bilbo’s grip slipped and he fell further down the cliff face, dangling by one hand.

The dwarves were yelling to him, begging him to reach up, to grab hold of their hands. He couldn’t reach them, and his strength was failing. Bilbo’s grip began to loosen, and suddenly Thorin was there. He swung down from the ledge, risking himself to hoist the hobbit up into safety. The dwarves cried out as Thorin slipped as well, but Dwalin caught him and hauled him up onto the relative safety of the ledge.

****

The hobbit was safe, his company was safe. Thorin took a minute to collect himself as his shoulder sagged with relief. “I though was had lost our burglar,” Dwalin said. He heard gasping and turned to look at Bilbo. The hobbit was gulping down air as if he had been drowning. The sight quickly began chipping away at his relief.  

 _Lost._ The word slapped Thorin. He had almost lost the hobbit. “He has been lost ever since he left home. He should not have come. He has no place amongst us.” Anger had replaced the sharp twinge of fear with a slight burn. The hobbit, Bilbo, he had a life worth living. He had a home, a place to return to, and everything to lose. Thorin could not forgive himself for dragging the gentle creature away from his life of comfort.

He knew that the only reasons Bilbo had decided to accompany them was pity and a craving for adventure. Neither were justifiable reasons to risk his life. The hobbit did not deserve to be put through such hell, a hell that would only get worse. Thorin did not see the effect his harsh words had on the hobbit, and he did not want to see. He had said those words to hurt, to send the hobbit away, back to his home and his hearth where he belonged.

****

Dwalin led the company into a large cave, and Bilbo followed Bofur silently. His chest ached, and he knew that the discomfort was more mental than physical. Thorin’s words had cut him deep, and they added to the feelings of doubt and incompetency he’d been feeling since he left home. He knew he was physically at a disadvantage, knew that he had no experience, knew that he had sometimes held the dwarves back. Bilbo set up his bedroll as far from Thorin as the cave would allow. He knew he wasn’t a dwarf, but he had thought he was beginning to fit in. As he settled himself into his bedroll, Bilbo clutched his hand over his heart as his chest tightened painfully. He hadn’t thought Thorin hated him that much.  

Around him Bilbo listened as the dwarves settled down for the night. He did not fall asleep though. He waited until he was sure the entire company was asleep, and quickly packed his things. As quietly as he could, Bilbo snuck towards the entrance to the cave. He had quite forgotten that somebody would be on watch. “Where do you think you’re going?” Bofur whispered.

****

 “Back to Rivendale.”  Thorin heard the hobbit respond.

“No, no, you can’t turn back now! You’re part of the company! You’re one of us.” Bofur hastily assured him.

“I’m not though, am I?” Bilbo asked sadly. “Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right.” Thorin felt a squeezing in his gut, as the hobbit sounded like he was trying not to cry. “I’m not a Took, I’m a Baggins. I don’t know what I was thinking. I should never have run out my door.” Guilt began to worm its way into Thorin’s heart when he heard the horrible sadness in the hobbit’s voice. He began to think that he had been too harsh on the gentle creature, but at the same time he was glad that his words had served their purpose.

“You’re homesick, I understand.” Bofur said gently.

“No you don’t, you don’t understand. None of you do. You’re dwarves. You’re used to this life, living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere!” There was anger in the hobbit’s voice, and Thorin was taken aback. His words had probably turned Bilbo away from all dwarves. “No, I’m sorry, I didn’t…” Bilbo’s voice was now filled with shame.  Thorin’s feeling of guilt thickened.

“No, you’re right.” Thorin felt an ache begin to build in his heart. “We don’t belong anywhere.” He had no idea Bofur felt that way. “I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do.” Thorin closed his eyes when he heard the hobbit shuffle away. “Hang on, what’s that?” Bofur’s voice sounded serious, his gentle tone forgotten. Abandoning his feigned sleep, Thorin looked over to where he heard the sound of falling sand. 

“Up!” He yelled. “Get up, now!” Thorin tried to stand, but before he could the floor gave way and the dwarves fell down a dark tunnel. The fall hurt and Thorin felt fear once more. The hobbit had been standing close to the entrance, but he didn’t know if Bilbo had made it out of the cave before they fell.

****

 Bilbo landed painfully atop a pile of dwarves. He was thrust to the back of the group as goblins approached. The things scrambled over everything, overwhelming the dwarves by sheer number. In minutes, the goblins were leading the company away, and Bilbo was terrified. He dropped to all fours, and froze in shock when the goblins continued to walk past him. It was as if he wasn’t there.

When he was sure he was alone, Bilbo rose and unsheathed his sword. He didn’t know how to use it, but the glow was comforting. He had determined to follow the dwarves when another goblin noticed him. It jumped on him and bit his neck, throwing Bilbo off balance. For the third time that day Bilbo felt the sickening sensation of falling into darkness, but there were no dwarves to rescue him this time.

****

He couldn’t look around. The goblins surrounded him, and Thorin knew that he must watch their king. He knew this, and yet he still fought the urge to check and see if his entire company stood with him. He could not even check to see if the hobbit had fallen with them, he could not see and he could not ask. The current situation required his full attention, but the hobbit occupied a corner of his mind. He had since Thorin had met him.

When the goblins discovered orcrist they were driven into a frenzy. Thorin was pinned on his back, the crude bone weapon poised over his neck. He hoped with all his might that the hobbit was already halfway back to Rivendale.

Then, Gandalf arrived in his burst of light, but Thorin could still feel no relief. The dwarves ran for their lives, managing to escape the goblins. Even as they thundered towards the exit, Thorin knew he would only be relieved when he saw each and every member of his company alive, and when Bofur told him whether or not Bilbo had escaped the cave.

****

 _“Thief!”_ The strange creature was looking for him, and Bilbo couldn’t understand why it couldn’t see him. He felt the weight of the ring on his finger, and it calmed him. Slowly, he got to his feet and followed it further down the tunnel. It wasn’t long until Bilbo could hear shouts. He crept up as close to the creature as he dared, and he saw the dwarves and Gandalf running out into sunlight.

Bilbo moved to follow, but paused. He considered the creature in front of him and pulled out his sword. He almost killed it, but Bilbo saw something that staid his hand. A single tear ran down the creature’s face, and Bilbo felt pity fill his heart; he let the creature live. He stepped back and tried to jump over it to reach the exit. He accidentally kicked it in the face, but he was glad he managed the feat, as his jumping skills weren’t the best.

Feeling pleased with himself, Bilbo raced down after the dwarves. He heard Gandalf counting them, and sighed in relief when he heard the wizard count out thirteen dwarves. Bilbo paused near Gandalf, unsure about rejoining the rest of the group, but froze in panic when he heard Gandalf’s next words. “Where’s Bilbo?” He was standing right in front of him. “Where is our hobbit?” Dread stopped his throat, and Bilbo could only stare at the wizard in horror. “Where is our hobbit?” Gandalf yelled.

Bilbo turned to see the entire company looking around. None of them could see him.

***

Thorin felt mild relief when he saw that his company was whole. That relief was short lived. Gandalf began asking after the hobbit. Anxiety settled in Thorin’s stomach. The wizard would have known if the Halfling had made it to Rivendale, wouldn’t he? “Curse the halfling! Now he’s lost?” Thorin flinched at Dwalin’s words. If the hobbit was lost inside that monstrous place, he had no chance of survival.

As the dwarves began arguing amongst themselves, Thorin heard Nori speak. “I think I saw him slip away when they first collared us.” Bilbo had fallen with them. He was separated at the beginning. Fear and anger roiled in Thorin’s gut. This was what he had been trying to avoid. Guilt spread just as quickly as he realized that the hobbit had likely died with Thorin’s hateful words in his heart.

“What happened exactly?” Demanded Gandalf. “Tell me!”

“I’ll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it!” Thorin would rather think the hobbit had deserted him. Anything was better than admitting he was dead.

****

“He’s thought of nothing since his soft bed and his warm hearth since he’s stepped out of his door.” Bilbo stared in shock. “We will not be seeing our hobbit again.” Bilbo moved in front of Thorin and stopped just in front of his face. “He is long gone.”

Bilbo felt his heart clench painfully. He tried to speak, but he could not force his voice out. He saw something burning in the dwarf king’s eyes, and Bilbo could not bear the sight. Slowly, he turned his head to look at the rest of the company. Bofur was looking at the ground sadly. Kili and Fili looked shocked. Poor Ori looked utterly bewildered. The others looked betrayed.

“We’re losing daylight.” Bilbo’s eyes snapped back to Thorin. “We must move on.”

“But, the hobbit…” Kili began, and Thorin shot him a glare.

“He is not returning.” Thorin turned and began walking. Silently the other dwarves followed, until Kili and Fili were left standing alone. Bilbo felt grateful to them, that they wanted to wait for him.

“Come along Kili. You know he never wanted to be with us in the first place.” Fili spoke softly, sadly, but the words pierced Bilbo’s chest. Of course he had wanted to go with them. It was Thorin who didn’t want him along. The younger dwarf bowed his head and followed after his brother.

Bilbo followed the company. All the while, reasons as to why no one could see him ran through his mind. He decided on the simplest one. He had not survived the fall. He had died, down in the tunnels, and his spirit had gone on without his body. It was not easy, accepting the fact that he was dead. It meant he never would return to the shire. It meant he wouldn’t get the chance to speak to Thorin again, and the thought cut Bilbo deeply. Pain in one’s chest, it seemed, was an unavoidable aspect of death.

Bilbo trudged alongside the company till they were deep in the forest, and Thorin called a halt for the night. The hobbit found himself drawn to the dwarf king, and he followed him closely. As the rest of the company set up camp, Thorin pulled Dwalin aside and whispered in his ear. The gruff dwarf nodded and Thorin walked away into the forest.

Curious, Bilbo followed him. When the sounds of the company faded into the distance, Thorin stopped. For a second, there was silence. Thorin stared blankly at a tree in front of him. Bilbo stared at Thorin. His eyes were vacant, but there was a flame building in the depths. Afraid to move, afraid to look away, he stared into the dwarf’s eyes. With a flash, the dwarf’s eyes were suddenly burning, his mouth twisting into a snarl. With a growl he began beating the tree, pounding it with his bare fists. Bilbo could only stare in shock.

****

Thorin beat the tree until the skin split on his knuckles. As the blood ran down his fingers, he stopped, falling to his knees and leaning his forehead against the rough bark. Thorin mourned. He mourned for the gentle creature, allowing his grief to finally burst forth. Here, alone, he released his anger. He knew that the halfling’s death was on his hands. Knew he shouldn’t have dragged the hobbit from his home. The guilt, shame, anger, sadness, and pain swirled in his chest. The dull ache they created was far gentler and far worse than the hurt in his hands.

Thorin felt as if his heart had died alongside the hobbit. Resting his head against the tree, Thorin let his feelings consume him, shaking with their intensity. Distracted as he was, he almost missed the sound of footsteps approaching through the trees. Listening, he heard the sound of cloth dragging over the leaves, and the regular thump of a staff. When the footsteps stopped behind him, Thorin did not bother to turn. “What do you want, wizard?” He winced at the sound of raw grief in his voice.

“We do not know if Bilbo is truly dead, Thorin.” Gandalf’s voice was sad, as if even he did not believe it.

“If he is not dead yet, you know he will be soon. Bil- the hobbit cannot survive long in that place.” Thorin winced again when he choked over the halfling’s name. Hoping Gandalf had missed it, Thorin turned to glare at him. His hope proved to be in vain.

“You said you would not be responsible for his fate.” There was a mixture of pity and sadness on his face and in his voice. Thorin didn’t respond. He only looked at Gandalf with an expression that said more than he ever could. His eyes were burning with self-hatred, grief, and guilt.

****

Bilbo felt the breath catch in his chest. Thorin looked terrible, as if he was burning inside out. He silently moved closer, tears forming in his eyes. The dwarf did not hate him. He may not have wanted him along, but he didn’t hate him. Bilbo shifted closer to Thorin, and stayed with him long after Gandalf left, wishing that he could touch him, hold him. But he was dead. He could never touch anyone again. When darkness spread through the trees, Thorin rose and headed back to the company.

The pain in Bilbo’s chest took on a bittersweet feeling, and that alone made it so much worse. When they came upon the camp, Bilbo moved closer to the fire where the other dwarves were gathered. Thorin’s expression had changed, and it was no longer open. Here, he was reserved. Bilbo was relieved when the burning disappeared, but he was also sad. Seeing Thorin’s unguarded expression was rare, and Bilbo wished he could have seen it when the dwarf was happier.

Nearing the fire, Bilbo sat in the grass near Bofur. The dwarf looked horrible, and Bilbo missed his friendship. Behind him, he heard Thorin ready his bedroll, and Bilbo sighed. He was quite hungry and thirsty, but as he was dead there was no way for him to eat or drink anything. He absently played with the ring on his finger, wishing he had never come upon it.

Bilbo was started out of his reverie when he heard Balin begin to speak. “I had hopes that the hobbit was beginning to feel comfortable with our group.”

“The _gentle creature,_ ” sneered Dwalin, “has had enough of our rough company. He’s long gone and crawling back into his little hole.” Bilbo winced at the venom in his words.

“The half-pint betrayed us!” Roared Gloin. Bifur yelled in what Bilbo thought was agreement. Bombur stayed quiet, while Fili and Kili shifted uneasily. They didn’t join in, but at the same time, none of them tried to defend him.

“Perhaps he’s better off away from us,” Ori piped up. Dwalin growled at him, and Gloin huffed imperiously. “He tried his best. He did!” Ori insisted over Dwalin’s enraged noise.

“Perhaps he’s right lads,” agreed Balin. All eyes turned to him. “We have nothing to lose. He had everything.” Tears began to run down Bilbo’s face. The entire company thought he had left them, had given up on them. Not for the first time since the incident, Bilbo wished they could see him. He wished that he could speak, but the words wouldn’t come. He tried to work them past the lump in his throat, but Bilbo could not speak.

He sat in misery, knowing he could never tell the dwarves what really happened. That he hadn’t willingly left them. One by one the dwarves left the fire, and Bilbo sat alone, twisting the ring around his finger. Eventually, Bilbo stood and went to sit next to Thorin. His face was even guarded in sleep. Here, in the silence of the night, Bilbo wished more than anything that he wasn’t dead. Sitting next to Thorin, Bilbo began to sob.

He cried for the home he would never see again, he cried for the friends who thought he abandoned them, and he cried for the dwarf king who mourned him in the forest.

****

Thorin suddenly woke from his sleep. He tensed for a moment, listening for anything unusual. Someone was crying. His eyes widened, and he turned his head to stare at a spot on the ground where the grass was flattened. He heard a sharp intake of breath, and the spot moved away, shuffling backwards. It sounded so familiar. “It couldn’t be.” Thorin reached out towards the spot, but before he could touch whatever was there, Dwalin came running through the camp.

“Up! Everybody up!” There was fear in the gruff dwarf’s voice.

Thorin shot up. “What is it?”

“Orc pack, heading this way. They’ve got wargs out ahead and they know we’re here.” The company was up in a mad scramble, grabbing whatever they could and setting out at a run.

****

 _Wargs._ Bilbo was terrified. He ran after Thorin, praying the dwarves would get away. He knew he was safe, knew he couldn’t die twice, but he also knew that he would wish he could if Thorin died. If Thorin died, Bilbo would search for a hell to throw himself into, would search for a way to die again, to remove himself from this world completely.

****

They were cornered. There was no way out, and Thorin knew it. He would not die cowering. He will die with a sword in his hand, protecting his company. Thorin raised his sword and confronted the Defiler.

****

Bilbo watched in horror as the orcs cornered the dwarves. The horror turned to something far worse when he saw Thorin charge the pale orc, alone and battered. Bilbo ran towards Thorin, knowing he could do nothing but wanting to be near him.

The pale orc knocked Thorin down, and Bilbo skidded to a halt, the fear pinning him in place. He saw the white warg crush the dwarf in its jaw. Saw it throw him, saw another orc move forward to kill him.

 _No._ He could not let Thorin end like this. He could not let him die. Running once more, Bilbo pulled out his sword and threw himself at the orc and stabbed it. When he was satisfied the thing was dead, he moved to stand in front of Thorin. The ring pinched his finger, so he slipped it off and shoved it in his pocket.

Behind him, he heard the rest of the company surge into battle, but he did not relax his stance. That is, until he realized he had just killed something. Bilbo began to shake, his vision going fuzzy. _To kill something, you have to be able to touch it._ Black spots began to dance across his eyes. _To touch something, you have to be alive._ As the black spots spread, Bilbo felt his knees begin to fold. His awareness faded, and the last thing Bilbo heard was the call of eagles before he collapsed.

****

The first thing Bilbo was aware of when he woke up was the feel of feathers beneath him and wind in his hair. Startled, he sat up, realizing he was on the back of the most enormous eagle he had ever seen. Looking around him, he noticed Gandalf watching him, concerned. _He could see him._ Ahead of him, he saw Thorin hanging from the claws of another bird. The dwarf wasn’t moving, and his eyes were closed.

When the eagles touched down, Bilbo shakily slipped onto the ground, his eyes on Thorin’s prone form, he paid no attention to the other dwarves. When someone placed a hand on his shoulder, Bilbo nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned to see Bofur smiling at him. “You came back.”

Bilbo opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Bofur’s grin slipped away as he saw Bilbo’s throat work. Still, no sound came out. He turned to look at Bofur, instead deciding on a small smile. Before Bofur could say anything else, Bilbo turned his head sharply, eyes widening. Thorin had his eyes opened, and was being helped to his feet by Fili.

****

Thorin struggled to his feet. “The halfling?” He asked quickly, cringed inwardly. What if he hadn’t really been there? What if Thorin had only imagined him? A few seconds passed, but to Thorin they felt like an eternity while he waited for someone to respond.

Finally, it was Gandalf who answered him. “He is fine, Bilbo is fine.” His gaze flickered oddly, and Thorin was immediately concerned. He turned to see Bilbo standing next to Bofur. The hobbit was watching him, a ghost of a smile on his face. Relief crashed through Thorin, so intense that it was painful. Relief, mixed with other emotions, emotions that Thorin couldn’t process at the moment.

“You,” Thorin growled. He lurched over to Bilbo, the other dwarves hastily backing away. “What were you doing? You could’ve gotten yourself killed!” There was rage evident in Thorin’s expression. “Did I not say you were a burden? Did I not say you had no place among us?” He finally reached the hobbit, who looked as if he was going to cry. Thorin’s expression softened and he put his hand on Bilbo’s shoulder. “I have never been so wrong in all my life.” Thorin pulled Bilbo into a hug, and the shocked hobbit was limp in his hold. He was warm, and so wonderfully alive. Thorin’s relief was making him dizzy, and he held the hobbit tightly, despite the ache in his ribs. He heard his company chuckling around them, and he hastily ended the hug.

He stepped back to look the hobbit over. “Are you hurt?” Bilbo shook his head, his mouth turned up in a smile. Thorin frowned, noticing the greyish hue to the hobbit’s skin and the wilted way in which he was standing. His clothes were disheveled and he had dark circles under his eyes. “When was the last time you’ve eaten? Or had water?” Bilbo opened his mouth, but said nothing. Grimacing, he closed it again and held up three fingers.

 _Three days?_ Thorin unclipped the water skin from his belt and handed it to the hobbit. Bilbo hurriedly opened it and drank greedily, emptying the skin in seconds. Thorin motioned to Bombur, and the dwarf tossed over some bread from his bag. “Eat that for now, when we set up camp, you get double portions.” Bilbo nodded eagerly, and Thorin turned to address the company. “Move out, we want to set up camp before it’s too dark.”

Thorin led the way, and Bilbo kept close beside him. He wanted to ask him where he had been, how he had materialized in front of him, but Thorin could tell that the hobbit was exhausted. His questions could wait until later.

As the company set up camp, Thorin noticed that Bilbo was acting oddly. The hobbit was never far from Thorin, and he was happy about that, but there was something off that was making him worried. When the dwarves had finished supper and settled around the fire, Thorin finally noticed what was wrong. The normally chatty hobbit hadn’t said a word. As the rest of the company gathered around the fire, Thorin turned to Bilbo. “Are you sure you’re not hurt?” The hobbit smiled and nodded. “Then why won’t you speak?” The grin fell off Bilbo’s face.

Thorin was fast becoming more than concerned. “Do you not want to speak?” Bilbo shook his head, and looked at Thorin with fear and sadness, an expression that clearly said _I can’t._

****

Hobbits were social creatures by nature, and it hurt, not being able to talk. Bilbo closed his eyes, unwilling to look at Thorin any longer. For a long while, the dwarf was silent. When Bilbo opened his eyes again, Thorin was still watching him. “Come along, halfling,” Thorin stood up. “Let’s walk, you and I.” The dwarf began walking away into the woods, with a nod to Dwalin. Bilbo scrambled to follow, curious as to why they were heading off alone.

When the noise of the company had faded into silence, Thorin stopped and swung around to face Bilbo. “You are sure you cannot speak?”

Bilbo nodded.

“Have you tried?” Bilbo nodded while giving Thorin an annoyed look. The dwarf closed his eyes and paced away. Bilbo watched him closely. There was a warm feeling in his chest. _Thorin was worried about him_. Thorin turned and walked back, an odd expression on his face. “Could you try speaking again?” Bilbo nodded and opened his mouth. Thorin watched closely as the halfling’s throat worked, but no sound came out.

Thorin’s face crumpled, his composure falling away. “I did this to you.” His voice was filled with shame and guilt. Bilbo reached out to him, placing his hand on the dwarf’s shoulder. Thorin looked up at him, and Bilbo gently shook his head, smiling at the dwarf. Thorin met Bilbo’s eyes, his own burning again. “Do not try and comfort me, halfling. If I hadn’t been so harsh to you, none of this would have happened.” Thorin turned away, and Bilbo’s smile faded. He felt a flicker of pain in his chest. He stepped around and stood in front of Thorin.

The dwarf was avoiding his eyes, and Bilbo sighed exasperatedly. He wanted to talk, needed to talk. He just wanted to say that Thorin was not at fault. He wanted to say that Thorin was the one who was helping him the most. Bilbo wanted to say a good amount of things, but he could not. So he settled for the next best thing.

Ignoring the nervous fluttering in his stomach, Bilbo reached up and turned Thorin’s head so the dwarf had no choice but to meet his eye. Praying that he wasn’t making the wrong decision, Bilbo stood up on his toes and kissed Thorin, gently and chastely. A warm feeling had built up in his chest, and Bilbo nearly shivered with delight. After a moment, Bilbo stepped back and watched Thorin’s face. The dwarf looked dumbstruck.

****

For the first time in many days, Thorin forgot about his guilt. He forgot a great many things, even lost his train of thought, the minute Bilbo kissed him. One thought, however, was clear. He liked this; he wanted to pull the hobbit closer. Much of his confusion from the past few hours cleared. He had feelings for the halfling, and that terrified him. When Bilbo pulled away, Thorin stood in shock.

They stood for a long while, to the point where the air had grown heavy and awkward. Thorin stared at Bilbo, and probably would have stared for a good deal more had the hobbit not wilted. Tears gathered in his eyes, and he looked up at Thorin with the most apologetic and mortified expression the dwarf had ever seen. When he turned to leave, Thorin reached out and caught his arm.

“Do not misunderstand my reaction, Bilbo.” He felt the hobbit jump, and he turned around, eyes wide. It was then that Thorin realized how little he actually said the halfling’s name. The dwarf took a deep breath. “However unexpected your action was,” Bilbo’s face twitched, and he braced himself. “It wasn’t unwelcome.” Bilbo’s eyes searched his face, and Thorin knew he was no longer controlling his expression, but whatever the hobbit saw there, he must have liked. Bilbo’s face split into a radiant smile, and Thorin grinned in response.

****

“Now, we’ve been gone long enough. Let’s head back to the others.” Bilbo nodded in response, his heart singing. He hadn’t made the wrong decision. He walked next to Thorin back to the camp, and he couldn’t help notice how their arms brushed every now and then. The dwarf seemed much more relaxed around him, and Bilbo felt happy for the first time in days. _Not being able to talk,_ Bilbo thought, _isn’t quite so bad after all._

When they arrived back at the camp, a few of the others looked up at them curiously, but no one asked where they had gone or what they’d been doing. As he scouted for a good spot to set up his bedroll, Bofur came up to him. “I don’t know what happened to you Bilbo, but I hope your voice comes back soon.” Bilbo looked at him and smiled. Bofur chuckled lightly and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Even though you can’t talk, it’s good to see you smiling again.” For the second time that night, Bilbo felt his heart warm. Perhaps he could belong here after all.

The next morning Bilbo woke to find Fili and Kili staring at him. He sat up quickly, his gaze flickering between the brothers. They chuckled, and the corners of Bilbo’s mouth turned up, his eyes questioning. “It’s a good thing your face is so easy to read,” Fili joked. “Otherwise we’d have no idea what you might be saying.” Kili laughed, and Bilbo smiled further.

“Why’d you leave?” Kili suddenly asked. The laughter was gone, and he looked sad. “We’re really happy you came back, but why did you have to leave?” Bilbo frowned and shook his head. Kili looked confused. “You didn’t leave?” Bilbo nodded.

“Then where were you?” Fili was just as confused as Kili was. Bilbo opened his mouth, sighed, and closed it again. He pointed at his eyes, shook his head, and pointed to himself. Kili looked lost, and Bilbo sighed. A few seconds later, Fili guessed: “You were invisible?”

Bilbo nodded enthusiastically, and smiled. Kili’s eyes widened. “How?” The hobbit shrugged. He wasn’t quite sure.

Bofur drifted closer. “You were with us the whole time?” Bilbo nodded, and Bofur’s eyes widened. “Does that mean… Did you hear what the others were saying about you?” Bilbo nodded once more. Kili and Fili shifted uneasily. Bilbo shrugged, and grinned, trying to show he didn’t care. Bofur grinned, relieved. He stood up and left to wake Bombur.  Words meant a great deal to hobbits, and he didn’t want them to know how much theirs, or the lack of them, had hurt. He hadn’t realized how much their opinions meant to him, but he didn’t want to seem weak or worse, to be treated like something breakable.

When the company set out for the day, Bilbo walked with Bofur instead of Thorin. For one thing, the dwarf king kept close to Dwalin, and Bilbo was uncomfortable near him. Dwalin had said some of the worst things about Bilbo. The hobbit also felt strange near Thorin. Something had changed in Thorin’s gaze, and when Bilbo met his eyes over breakfast, heat flooded his body. The hobbit didn’t know how to react, but he stared at Thorin constantly, turning red whenever the others caught him at it.

Dwalin caught him staring and leaned to whisper in Thorin’s ear with a smirk. Thorin turned and caught Bilbo’s eye. The dwarf king’s eyes were smoldering. Slowly, he raised his eyebrow, dragged his eyes over Bilbo’s body and grinned suggestively. Bilbo stopped in his tracks, his mouth falling open. He knew his ears were bright red, and there was heat uncurling low in his belly.

****

Thorin chuckled at Bilbo’s reaction, turning back to see that Fili and Kili had come up beside him. “Uncle,” began Fili, “we were talking with Bilbo this morning.”

“At Bilbo,” corrected Kili.

“At then. He said he never left, and that he was invisible the whole time.”

“He didn’t say anything, Fili.” Kili chastised. “He acted it out, get it right.”

“Invisible?” Thorin asked sharply, ignoring Kili. “How?”

Fili shrugged. “He said he didn’t know.”

“Mimed,” Kili mumbled.

Thorin nodded, and the brothers quickly left their uncle alone. If the hobbit was invisible, and he never left, what had he seen? Thorin recalled the abuse the dwarves had directed at the hobbit, and winced. If he had never left, then he was there for all of that. It was no wonder the little creature couldn’t speak. He left everything behind, and he thinks that no one would mourn him if he died. He thinks that he was never wanted in the first place, thinks that the dwarves hated him. Thorin sighed sadly. If he was in that position, he would lock his words away as well.

****

After a short day of travel, Thorin called the company to halt, and for that, Bilbo was grateful. He was exhausted, and more than a little distracted.

Throughout the day, Bilbo had felt a tension building between himself and the dwarf. Whenever he stood near him, the air felt electrified, and Bilbo found his thoughts turning down a lusty road. His ears near permanently red, Bilbo found himself wishing for dark to come so he could sneak away for some privacy.

Supper was a near silent affair, as the tension had built to such a degree that the others were aware of it too. Fili and Kili were grinning constantly, their eyes shifting between their obviously uncomfortable uncle and the blushing hobbit. When the dishes were empty, Thorin stood and nodded towards Dwalin. The gruff dwarf inclined his head in reply, and Thorin stalked off into the woods. There was an audible sigh as the company relaxed, the tension disappearing with Thorin.

It was a long while before Kili noticed that Bilbo had slipped away. He nudged Fili, and the two smirked at each other. They proceeded to make as much noise as they could, completely occupying the company’s attention and giving their uncle some much needed privacy.

****

Thorin rushed into the woods, stopping only when he no longer heard his company. He walked far longer than normal, as his nephews seemed determined for their noise to reach Erebor. When silence finally closed around him, Thorin leaned against a tree, closing his eyes. The halfling had such an open expression, and Thorin could practically see his thoughts in his eyes. Just thinking about Bilbo’s clearly aroused expressions brought Thorin’s hand to the front of his breaches.

He was about to unlace them, when he heard a sharp intake of breath. His eyes flew open to see Bilbo standing there, lust plain on his face as he stared at Thorin’s hands. The dwarf grinned, and beckoned Bilbo closer. He obeyed, stopping mere inches in front of Thorin, who chuckled, reaching out to caress the tip of the hobbit’s ear. Bilbo shuddered, drawing closer still, and Thorin leaned down to kiss him. It was gentle at first, but when Bilbo pressed up against him, his own arousal clear, the dwarf growled, thrusting his hips forward and ravishing the hobbit’s mouth. Bilbo gasped, hands reaching up to fist into Thorin’s hair and thrusting back in return.

The two broke apart gasping, Bilbo more flushed than ever. Thorin leaned down to kiss him again, this time sliding a hand down to cup the hobbit’s cock through his breaches. Bilbo moaned against his mouth, causing him to falter briefly. It was the first sound the hobbit had made in days. Bilbo pressed closer into his hand, causing a wave of desire to wash through him. Thorin began to unlace the hobbit’s breaches, sliding them down just far enough for his cock to spring free. Bilbo gasped when the cool air brushed over his length, and Thorin felt his own breaches become far too tight.

            When he wrapped his hand around Bilbo’s shaft, the hobbit moaned louder. Thorin nipped at the hobbit’s lips, enjoying every noise he made. Pausing to remove his furs, Thorin spread them on the ground and lay the halfling on top, fishing out a little vial of oil from his pocket. Bilbo made an arousing picture, still mostly clothed with his cock springing out, and his legs slightly spread.

            Before Thorin could lie down and join him, Bilbo was on his knees, unlacing the dwarf’s breaches and releasing the dwarf king’s length. Thorin watched as Bilbo grinned lazily, and then leaned forward to bring the dwarf’s erection into his mouth. Thorin groaned as Bilbo sucked him, using all his restraint not to thrust into the hobbit’s mouth.

            Bilbo was gifted with his tongue, and Thorin put a hand on his shoulder. “Stop,” he panted. “I am close already.” Bilbo sat back obediently, looking up at Thorin through mischievous eyes. The hobbit was flushed, and he was panting. Grinning madly, Thorin knelt and began stripping Bilbo, trailing kisses along the way. Finally, the hobbit lay naked in front of him, his cock red and leaking against his stomach.  

            Bilbo watched with lust filled eyes as Thorin stripped off his clothing and armor, depositing them in a heap next to the halfling’s clothes.

Thorin reached back, and fumbled around for the vial. Pouring a liberal amount of oil on his fingers, he trailed his hand along Bilbo’s thigh, teasingly swirling his finger up to the base of his shaft before trailing along to the hobbit’s arse, leaving behind a slick trail. Bilbo moaned again, opening his legs, his eyes never leaving Thorin’s. The dwarf leaned down to kiss him as his finger pushed gently at Bilbo’s entrance. Bilbo gasped, and Thorin felt his finger slide past the tight ring of muscle.

            The hobbit squirmed underneath him, and Thorin pressed gentle kissed onto his neck and he slowly thrust his finger in and out. When he felt Bilbo relax around him, he inserted another finger, rubbing soothing circles on the halfling’s hip when he inhaled sharply. After a few thrusts, Thorin began scissoring his fingers slightly, stretching the hobbit even further.

            When Thorin inserted a third finger, Bilbo groaned, pushing back against his hand. It was then that Thorin brushed something inside the hobbit, and Bilbo threw back his head and cried out. After a few more thrusts, Bilbo reached down and grabbed Thorin’s wrist, nodding to say he was ready. Thorin gently removed his fingers, groaning as he coated oil on his neglected cock.

            Positioning himself between the hobbit’s legs, Thorin pressed his erection into Bilbo, taking all of his self-control not to thrust into the halfling’s wet heat. When Bilbo was fully seated around him, Thorin paused to allow the hobbit to adjust. Soon, Bilbo thrust up against him, wrapping his legs around the dwarf’s waist, and Thorin took that as an invitation to move.

            He thrust up into the hobbit, causing Bilbo to moan louder and louder. Thorin groaned, angling his thrusts so he hit deeper. He brushed against the spot, and had Bilbo crying out again and again. Thorin reached down to grip the halfling’s cock, and he pumped it in time with his thrusts. Bilbo’s hands reached up and gripped Thorin’s shoulders, his nails digging into the dwarf’s skin.

            With a final cry, Bilbo spilled between them, his body arching up into Thorin’s hand and clenching around Thorin’s cock. A few more thrusts and Thorin came with a muffled yell, spilling his seed deep inside the hobbit. With a grunt, Thorin pulled out and collapsed next to Bilbo, drawing him close.

            Thorin gently ran his hands through the hobbit’s hair as he snuggled into the dwarf’s chest. After a while, Bilbo’s breathing had deepened and Thorin thought he was asleep. “My hobbit, my hobbit,” he whispered softly. “Never leave me again.”

            “Never left,” Bilbo murmured sleepily. Thorin froze, and stared down at Bilbo. The hobbit was fast asleep.

****

Bilbo’s heart felt warm, and he sighed contentedly. “Wake up, Bilbo. Wake up.”

There was a hand gently shaking his shoulder, and Bilbo groaned and rolled over. Someone was chuckling, and Bilbo smiled slightly in response. “Wake up, my hobbit. We’ve been gone far too long.” Bilbo cracked his eyes open and stared at Thorin. It was still dark out, he hadn’t been asleep long, and Bilbo huffed. He didn’t want to move yet. Thorin chuckled again, and he started playing with one of the hobbit’s curls. “Fine, then, we don’t have to move. Just don’t blame me when the others come looking for us.”

Bilbo’s eyes shot open and he sat up quickly. Seeing that Thorin was still very much naked, the hobbit leaned into his chest and hummed contentedly. He was distracted easily. The dwarf’s hand came up and started rubbing his back. “Feels good,” Bilbo sighed happily, and then he froze. The hand rubbing his back stilled, and Bilbo turned to stare at Thorin with wide eyes.

The dwarf smiled happily back at him, and Bilbo’s face split into an enormous grin. “I can talk.” Bilbo said wondrously.

Thorin began rubbing the hobbit’s back again. “Yes you can. The only question is why?”

Bilbo thought for a moment, closing his eyes. “My chest,” he began slowly, “doesn’t hurt anymore.” He opened his eyes, and met Thorin’s confused ones. “I think that has a lot to do with why I couldn’t speak.”

Thorin nodded slowly. “And how does your chest feel now?”

“Warm,” Bilbo replied. “Because of you.” He had never seen the dwarf look happier. Thorin leaned down and kissed the hobbit sweetly.

“Now, up,” He said when he pulled away. “Before they come looking.” Bilbo laughed softly, and began to get dressed.

When the two finally made it back to the camp, they found that the dwarves had retired to their bedrolls. Thorin nodded to Dwalin, who was on watch, and was surprised when the gruff dwarf walked over. He was even more surprised when he addressed Bilbo, rather than himself.

“Listen here, hobbit,” he began roughly. “Fili and Kili told me you never left, and that you heard everything. I didn’t mean it. You did well.” Dwalin was now staring at the ground. The scarred dwarf was never one for words, nor apologies, but he knew when one was necessary.

“Thank you,” Bilbo said quietly, holding back a laugh when the dwarf jumped. “Hearing that means a lot to me.” Dwalin nodded, glancing at Thorin with a raised eyebrow. When Thorin smiled happily, the gruff dwarf grinned and returned to his post.

Bilbo and Thorin set up their bedrolls in near silence, the former grinning the whole time. As he lay down next to the dwarf, Bilbo found that he had never been so excited to say good morning.

 

END


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